Pieke Parcours

During the Maastricht Year 2026, the city will transform into a lively stage with the Pieke Parcours. This special event is dedicated to Pieke Dassen, an iconic artist who has left a lasting mark on Maastricht's cultural identity.

Dassen was a versatile creator: puppeteer, painter, actor and cabaret artist. He became best known for his performances in the famous Poesjenellenkelder in the Dinghuis, where he used homemade puppets to bring stories to life that were both humorous and socially engaged.

The Pieke Parcours translates this rich legacy to the present. Spread across various locations in Maastricht, visitors can take part in theatre performances, exhibitions, workshops and public talks. The programme invites you not only to watch, but also to actively participate and get creative yourself.

What makes this event special is the way it connects the past with the present. The spirit of Pieke Dassen, his playfulness, creativity and commitment to the city, is the thread that runs through a journey of discovery through Maastricht. His work, which often depicted the life and culture of the city, remains visible and tangible in the city's streetscape and collective memory to this day.

The Pieke Parcours brings people together: young and old, locals and visitors. Together, they explore the city in a new way, in which art, heritage and encounters are central. This creates a temporary cultural landscape in which stories come to life again and Maastricht celebrates itself.

Visit the various activities:

1. 2 and 9 September: Workshops making puppets by Kunstketel and Brede Spoor

2. 5-27 September: Pieke Dassen exhibition

3. 18-26 September: Figures Theatre Days

3.1. Performances Elysium [working title]by Magisch Theatertje (18-19 September)

3.2. Children's performance The Girl with the Little Suitcase by Merlin Puppet Theatre (20 September)

3.3. Private performances for schools and nursing homes by Timmy Velraedsand Merlin Puppet Theatre (21-24 September)

3.4. Performances Clowns Houses by Merlin Puppet Theatre (25-26 September)

4.23 September: Public afternoon: 100 years of Pieke Dassen

5.24 September: Film screening Zwermen

6.27 September: Final afternoon with Ruben Komkommer